Science and Society in the Classroom: Using Sociocultural Perspec ...

There is a shift occurring in the emphasis in science education, from traditional information-based science to “science for society,” and paradoxically it is no longer advisable to be simply a casual observer of science because individuals are faced with increasingly complex decisions to make: Should I use paper or plastic? Can I retain my privacy on a cellular telephone? Are nuclear power plants safe? All such questions affect an increasingly large section of American society today. However, results of one survey indicated that as few as 20–25% of adult U.S. citizens are “scientifically savvy and alert,” only about 10% understand what radiation is, and one in five adults still think that the sun revolves around the earth (Dean, 2005).

Recognizing the importance of cultivating early interest in science, several U.S. reports have generated new directions in science education (NRC, 1996; AAAS, 1989, 1993). The NRC (1996) developed National Science Education Standards (NSES) for grades K–12, and the AAAS (1989, 1993) produced Benchmarks for Science Literacy (Project 2061) specifying the guidelines for scientific literacy. Both documents focused on the science knowledge and skills that a literate citizen should possess (Hammrich, 1998). Science education reform documents (AAAS, 1993; NRC, 1996) also emphasized that the quality and quantity of science taught in the elementary and middle grades appear to be of critical importance to the future scientific and technical literacy of students (Cox & Carpenter, 1989). Therefore, scientists and educators alike must turn a critical eye to the schools to find out ways in which science education might be effectively reconceptualized to create an adult citizenry participating in a science-bound and technology-dependent society (Gallagher, 1994). Although all points of the science education pipeline in school are important, middle school seems to be the nodal point during which students' interest in science can be enhanced, thus increasing the size of the initial talent pool. Initial research reveals that the size of the student pool interested in science reaches its peak before ninth grade (Berryman, 1983). Several studies have shown that students' attitudes and feelings toward science remain positive until the sixth or seventh grade (Atwater, Gardener, & Wiggins, 1995).